Apparatus for separating materials of different specific gravities.



CHARLES SCHIFFERL'E, 0F SAN FRANCSCO, CALIFEJNA, Af'f'lllt lll@CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, F SAN FRANCK-SCS, CALlIFGttNlA, COIttlC-yCALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May itl, 193.5. clal No. $225,851.

To all whom it may concer/n Be it known that I, CHARLES SCHIFFERLE, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county ofSan Francisco, State of California, have invented a certain new anduseful Apparatus for Separating Materials of Ditt'erent'SpeciiicGravities, of which the following` is a specification.

The invention relates to an apparatus for 'sepa lating` materials ofdifferent specific gravities by displacing the materials of lesserspecific gravity with the materials of greater specilic gravity.

An vobject of the invention is to provide an apparatus for separatingmaterials of ditferent specic gravities by displacing the lighter`material with the heavier material.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in which thedisplacement of the lighter material is accomplished by centrifugalforce.

A further obyect of the invention'is to provide an apparatus in whichthe material to be separated is held in substantial equilibrium or in amobile condition while being acted on by centrifugal force.

The invention possesses other advantagem ous features, some of which,with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the followingdescription where l shall outline in full that form of the apparatus ofthe invention whiehl have selected for illustration in the drawingsaccompanying and forming part lof the present specification.

ln the drawings, l have shown only one specific form of the apparatus ofmy invention, but it is not limit myself to such form, because myinvention may be embodied in a multiplicity of forms, each being aspecies of my said in vention.

It is also tobe understood that by the claims succeedingthedescriptionof my in- .,vention I desire to cover the invention 1nwhatever form it may be embodied.

The invention is particularly designed to be employed in theconcentration of crushed oresfplacersands and the like, to separate thegreater specific gravity metal bearing particles from the remainder ofthe ore, but it may be used in separating any mixture of particles ofdifferent specific gravities.

ln accordance with my invention. the ma teri al to be separated issubjected t0 the action to be understood that l do,

integral with the easing.

of centrifugal force, while being maintained i' in a loose or mobilecondition or a condi-- tion.ofsubstantial equilibrium, so that theparticles of greater specific gravity may pass through and displace theparticles of lesser speciiicw'oravity. This is accomplished by passingliquid or fluid' into or throusrh the material in al direction opposedto theidirew tion of the centrifugal forces and the liquid or tluidforms a perfect mixture with the material, liolding it; in a loosecmidition which permits the particles to arrange them selves inaccordance with their specific grav-- ities. The liquid r fluid is motflowed at such a rate that it carries oil particles of material oflesser specific gravity in suspen sion and the particles of lesserspecific grav ity are removed by being,r displaced by particles ofgreater specific gravity. nthe accumulated particles of greater specificfrravity may then bel removed in any desirable .manner` ln dryseparation, the material to be separated may be fed to the apparatus ina dry condition and air or other ,gas enr ployed the medium formaintainiznr it in a loose condition. so that the pz tiefes are free tomove under the action of centri-foral force and in wet separation thenniterial may be fed wet or dry, preferably wet and iii solution, andthe medium :for maintainiiigr it in a loose condition may he water orother liquid.

ln the accompanying drawinfgs, in which l have shown one form of theapparatus of my invention, ljigure l is a side eleva tion of theapparatus of my invention, parts thereof being broken a way to betterdisclose tue apparatus. llig. 2 is a vertical section of the apparatusshown in Fig. l.. Fig. 3 is a verA tical section lof a modified forni ofthe apparatus, showing a. form of coilcentration discharge which` may been'iplo'w i The. apparatus comprises an annu double walled casing EZ,the outer and inner walls 3-4 thereof being substantially''per--pendicular, although the inner wall l may flare outuf'ardly veryslightly as it progresses upwardly rrl`he annular casing is n'nmnted onthe hub 5, by suitable connectingl means such as the hollow pan .6,which is formed Secured to the hub 5 is al pulley 7 or other suitablemeans, by which rotary motion may be imparted to the hub and casina. Thehub is rotatably mounted on a suitably supported conduit 8 which isprovided with apertures 9 within the hub. The hub is also provided withsuit,- able apertures l2 opening into the hollow pan 6 to permit thepassage of liquid or fluid fromA the hub to the casing. The liquid orfluid is introduced through the conduit and due to the action ofcentrifugal force is conveyed 4into the annular casing 2 com pletelyfilling the casing.

The inner wall of the casing is provided with one or more annular'pockets ll-l arranged above each other, the pockets being formed at theupper edge with a lip 16 which overlies and is spaced from an outwardlyextending lip 17 on the inner wall. The space between the lips providesa passage for the liquid or iuid iii the casing into the bottom. of thepocket.

Tlie'material to be separated is fed onto the upper wall 18 of the panand is thrown outward tothe edge of the pan and upward into the pocketsin the casing. Liquid or fluid is introduced into the pan and casing insuch amounts that it fills the pockets and discharges slowly therefrom.The material iii the pocket is therefore saturated with liquid .orfluid, which holds the particles apart and prevents them from packing,which results in practically holding the particles in suspension so thatthey are free to arrange themselves under the action of the centrifugalforce. The particles' of greater specific gravityare driven to thebottom of the pocket, displacing the particles of lesser specic gravity.'When suliicient material has been fed to completely ill the lowerrnostpocket, the heavier particles of the subsequently' fed material diseplace the lighter particles in the pocket and the lighter particlestravel upward' into the next pocket above. When the lower pocket hascompletely filled with` the heavier particlesand additional heavierparticles are fed9 the heavier particles'lodge iii the second pocket,crowding out the lighter particles ,which pass into the next pocketabove. As many superposed pockets may be arranged as desired. Theparticles of lesser specific gravity pass over the upper edge or' thecasing and discharge into the receiver 19 which is provided with asloping 'bottom' 21 and a discharge conduit 22. 'The' particles ofgreater specific gravity accumulate in the pockets and when these arefully charged with the heavier particles the feed of material is stoppedand the rotating casinir stopped and the heavier particles remove Theparticles in the pockets during the operation of the apparatus beingheld ina `substantial state of suspension or equilibrium in the liquidor fluid. move laterally with relation to each other on account of therotation of the casing and this lateral movement assists in releasingthe particles, so

that the particles of greater specific gravity may move radially to thebottoni of the pocket. It is understood that during the operation of theapparatus fluid or liquid is moving slowly inward through the materialin the pocket, but the separation of the particles is accomplished bydispliceiiient and not by the carrying effect of the uid or liquid.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a form of appai'atus in which only one annularpocket 23 is provided and in which means are provided for dischargingthe accumulated particles of greater specific gravity from the pocketduring the operation of the apparatus. The pocket ,.3 is provi-ded atspaced intervals with discharge conduits 24, extending through the outerwall 3 of the casing. Each conduit 2l is provided with u valve, the head25 of which is adapted to seat on and close the conduit and the stem 26of which is supported and guided in the conduit. Surrounding tlie casingis a stationary cani 28 which enga ges the heads of the valves. The

cani is offset at one portion so that the valves at that portion aremoved outward from their seats7 opening the discharge conduit andallowing the' accumulated particles of greater specific gravity todischarge into the surrounding receiver 27. At its other portionthecamis concentric with the casing and arranged to hold the valvesseated. On account of the loose state of the material in the pocket, theaccumulated heavier particles quickly redistribute themselves when someof them are discharged at one place, thereby obviating the necessity ofproviding discharge conduits at all points on the pocket.

By the use of this apparatus, concentration or separation of particlesof different specific gi'avities may be quickly and ellicientlyaccomplished. When the particles of greater `specilic gravity are ofsuch material, such as gold orsilver, that will readily amalgamate, aquantity of mercury may be introduced into the pockets and theseparation thereby made more elicient.

l claim:

l. An apparatus of the character d escribed, comprising a rotatableannular casing, means for introducing fluid into said easing to lill thesame, an annular pocket formed iii the inner wall of said casing and a'lip on the casing lextending into said pocket, the lip' being spacedfromthe wall of the pocket `to permit fluid to flow from the casing into thepocket.

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a rotatableannular casing, means -for introducing fluid into said 'casing 'to filltle'same, an annular pocket.

formed in the inner wall of said casing, said inner wall being providedwith an annular slot for conveying fluid from the casing to the bottoniof the pocket, a discharge outletJ for said porket, a valve controllingsaid outlet and moans for operating said valve.

fi An apparatus of the rliaractei: described comprising a rotatableannular casing, leans for introducing: fluid into said easing to fillthe saine, an annular-pocket formed in tbc inner wall of Said casing,said inner wall boinagr provided with an annular slot Afor conwyingfluid 'lron'i the casinbr to tbe bottom of the pocket, a dischargeoutlet for said pocket, a valve controlling Said outlet and meansoperative by the rotation of tbn rasingr for operating said valve.

4f. An apparatus of the, Character desrribrd rolnprising a rotatableannular Casing`r means for introdueing` fluid into said casing' to fillthe saine, an annular pocket vfoi-ined in the inner wall of said casing,said inner wall being provided with an annular slot ilor conveying fluidfrom the casing to the bottoni of the pocket, a discharge outlet forsaid pocket, a valve controlling said outlet, means for operating SaidValve to discharge material in the pocket and a revepiaele adapted toreceive said discharged material.

5. An apl'mratus of the Character flescribed comprising a rotatableannular casing', means for introducing fluid into Said casing to lillthe saine, an annular pocket;

formed in the inner wall, of Said casing means for conveying Huid fromthe casingi to the bottoni of the pocket, a discharge outlet for Saidpocket, a valve controlling said outlet projecting.;n beyond the Casingand a, stationary cam surrounding the Casing and engaging said valve.

In testimony whereof, l have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco,California., this (Sth day ofMay, 1915.

CHARLES SCHIFFERLE.

In presence oll- H. G. Pnosr.

